Team CERBERUS / Forge Gym MMA Training Template

MMA (and most other combat sports) requires a blend of strength, speed, agility, mobility, strength endurance and work capacity that is extremely difficult to create by “traditional” training means.

Abilities such as strength (Fmax), speed (rate of force development) and strength endurance all require different training stimuli and should not be trained in a single session. Also, modern MMA requires a sound technical ability in several striking and ground fighting arts, so there has to be adequate time and recovery ability left over for skill based sessions.

This leads us to a template in which we train many times per week, each time focusing only on one or two components of fitness, in relatively short workouts. One workout will be for strength endurance / lactate tolerance, one for limit strength and one for speed and explosiveness.

Strength endurance workouts should involve bodyweight and lightly loaded movements, with the total work time being similar to that of a round. Between 4 and 6 minutes of work is ideal. Over time the duration of these blocks can increase, as can the total number of them.

Explosiveness (acceleration / rate of force development) workouts will involve jumping / bounding exercises along with loaded variations thereof. Sets and reps will be low, with the emphasis being on maximising speed of movement and avoiding fatigue.

Here is a sample training week based on these principles, ideal for general use or for the early part of a fight preparation. During this time the objectives are to maximise non linear strength endurance and lactate tolerance, whilst increasing rate of force development / speed. Strength (Fmax) is merely maintained during this phase. “Skills Class” could be wrestling, Muay Thai, MMA, BJJ or any other applicable class.

Phase 1 Training Program

Aims: Hold Fmax, Increase RFD, Maximise NLSE / lactate tolerance.

Monday a.m

Non linear strength endurance

Upper Body 1

Set clock for 4 minutes

Battling ropes – 1 arm up 1 arm down - 20 reps per arm

Battling ropes – 2 arm wave – 20 reps

Jab / Cross combination – 50 combinations as fast as possible

Tornado Ball Russian Twist – 30 reps per side as fast as possible

Repeat till time runs out.

Progression – add 30s per week.

Rest 90 seconds

Lower Body 1

Set clock for 4 minutes

Hindu Squats standing on Green Band – 30 reps

Hindu squats to jump (no band) – 30 reps

2 leg bridge – 30 reps

Sprint against band resistance – 6 lengths of the mat

Repeat till time runs out.

Progression – add 30s per week

Rest 90 seconds

Upper Body 2

Set clock for 4 minutes

Body Rows on gym rings – 30 reps

Kettle Bell Pushup / Shoot through / Dip combo – 20 reps

Grappler – 5kg weight – Elbows tucked torso rotations – 20 reps

Upper cuts with 5kg Dumbbells – 15 reps per hand

Repeat till time runs out.

Progression – add 30s per week

Rest 90 seconds

Lower Body 2

Set clock for 3 minutes

Outside – sled drag – 40kg

Walk with an alternate uppercut motion for 3 minutes, turn and walk back.

Progression – Add 4 kg per week to sled.

Monday A.M.

Skills class.

Tuesday A.M.

Fmax

T, W, Y, L shoulder mobility drill – 10-20 of each

Lying crucifix shoulder mobility drill – 40 reps

Lying Shoulder external rotation with dumbbell – 20 reps per side

Box Squat – work up to 3 x 3*

*start light, add 2.5kg -5kg every week

Viking Press – 5x5, work up to max set of 5 reps adding weight each time.

Up on toes, arms swinging in running motion, make as many foot contacts as possible over 1 metre of mat. 1 hand swing per foot contact. 3-5 repeats, rest 30s in between.

Fast contact single leg hip bridges, with feet on objects.

Lying on back, one knee bent, one straight.

Place foot of bent leg on 1 medicine ball or bench, straight leg on the floor.

Pop the hips up off the floor by pushing down onto the medicine ball / bench

Whilst in the air switch feet and land with other foot on another medicine ball or the bench.

Pop hips straight away and repeat x 3 per side.

Do 6 sets of 3. Rest 30s in between.

Bounding triple jump

Warm up jumps then 6 repeats of 3 bounds in a row, aiming for maximum distance. Rest 30s in between attempts.

Dive Bomb pushups off medicine balls

Warm up pushups then place hands wide on 2 med balls, pop up off the med balls and land with shoulder width hands on the floor, drive back up through push up, hands back to med balls. 6 sets of 3, aiming for maximum speed and power.

Loaded RFD

Quarter squat to jump – 15% of Squat 1 rep max on the bar.

Quarter squat then jump as high as you can. 8 sets of 2, 30-45s rest in between.

Progression - Add 5% of squat 1 rep max per week for 3 weeks, then go back to 20%.

About the Author

Owner of the Forge Gym and Fit-Ness Supplements. Promoter of the Caledonian Combat MMA event. Gavin also organises Highland's Strongest Man, now in its 3rd year and now Highland's Strongest Woman. He has spent over 15 years "in the trenches" strength coaching, running gyms and training for Strongman and Powerlifting and has a broad knowledge of both sports training and nutrition.